Archive for July 26th, 2012

OK, so where was I? I Finished watching Step-Panther because I always feel bad if I leave half way through someone’s set, it feels like I’m being rude, and decided to take the advice of the gentleman in the crowd and go to Pychcosocial. I had no clue about the band which was on before The Killgirls, nor did I know about The Killgirls really, just that a guy I had met previously rates them and that “The Killgirls cater to the Rave and Punk devotees with equal favour”, which is what the program told me. Before The Killgirs were on was Jordan Cook aka Reignwolf, who was really good, for the brief five minutes which I saw then. After my fairly quiet day of ‘girls and guitars’ things were starting to liven up a bit. The heavy rock from Jordan Cook and the earlier grungy rock of Step-Panther were just what I needed to liven my soul a bit and get me out of the laid back acoustic twee slow pace I had gotten into.

I moved to the downstairs (Psycosocial has a ground floor and a basement and both levels had a stage on) to watch another band, Sunless 97; quite dancy, female vocals, very energetic, with an indie vibe about it. Completely in keeping with the mood of getting more pumped for a good night out. It was a big shame for me that there set did not last for much longer because I was really enjoying it. But alas, it did and I went back upstairs to watch The Killgirls as suggested.

As I waited for The Killgirls to finish their sound checks, and generally prepare for their set, the gentleman from the crowd at the hub came over. He bought me a drink (thank you kind sir)and he was telling me about how you can cheat the system and get a press pass. Apparently because I am typing this right now then I can claim to be a member of the press. I’m thinking about it, I would get to cut through the queues but on the other hand I do also have to pay more for the wristband. To be honest I hardly queued all weekend anyway.

Finally The Killgirls came on. It was obvious that the sound check was a waste of time because everything was so distorted. It was unfortunate because underneath all the crackling was probably a very good set. Looking back now I can see what the programme writers meant, both rave and punk at the same time. Very kool. I’m sure all those at the front were fans of the band anyway and could here the songs that they knew anyway, I wish I was in their position because they, I’m sure would be great without the technical issue of not being able to hear the music.

The Killgirls finished and I made a quick dash to try and see Friends. They had been on the radio at the time and I really liked them. Unfortunately so did everyone else. I left Psychosocial and made for the pier. They were playing at Horatio’s, a bar which is at the end of the pier. I made it past security, which by this time of night had stopped allowing the general public onto the pier at all, and I walked quickly up the pier. It was strange. I was the only person on the pier at all that I could see. It was like something out of a bad horror film, totally alone, the sounds of the world carrying on in the distance, oblivious to the peril one person faces by themselves, so close, but yet so far…. err, yeah I was by myself on the pier. That is until I got round the corner and found the bar. There were two queues at the door. There was one for the general public, which stretched so far that I couldn’t see the end and there was another for the press, which was longer than the pier is wide. I clocked that there was no point in me joining the poor man’s queue and turned around. I doubt I would have got in even if I had blagged a press pass.

Moving back down the pier I instead went to the Haunt. Looking at the timings in the program, I thought that if I wanted to see any other bands which were popular I’d better get inside now, and I did, Jamie N Commons. I had no clue about the band which was on before him, but after the queueing fiasco on the pier I thought I’d better get in there now.

Binary were a great way to get myself in the right mood for Jamie N Commons. They are quite a dark band, which suited the darkly lighted venue and after my lonely experience out on the pier I was feeling a bit dark too. This suited well and I loved it. This pairing was great too, clearly Binary should be Jamie N Commons support act when they are on a normal tour situation.

Jamie N Commons came on later and did a set including all of the songs which I had heard played on the radio. His voice is like something I have never heard before. The gravelly, deep, american south voice which by no stretch of the imagination should ever come out of someone so young, was just amazing. He played his set well and I was in awe throughout. I suggest that anyone with any taste in music see him play, quite truly something to behold. I have said it before in this post already but hand on heart I did not want that set to end. I could have listened to him all night.

I left The Haunt, wondering what to do now, is there any point in watching anything else? how is anyone going to top that? In truth the rest of the bands today were not going to beat it, but they were still great and still worth seeing.

From The Haunt I ran across the road and back up the pier, again, and tried my luck at Horatio’s once more. Friends had well and truly finished their set, but Nicki and the Dove were playing now and if I hurried I could catch most of the set. When I got to the bar right at the other end of the pier I was relieved that there was no queue holding me back and I walked straight in. The band were already playing as I walked to the bar and I listened from the back while I sorted out a drink. By the time I had got myself into a good position the band had played half their set and I only really listened with intent to the last three songs. Luckily they hadn’t played DJ Ease My Mind, the song which had first attracted me to them when they were on the radio. If I was asked to make one point about the band I think my response would be “she’s a strange bird”. Really and truly off her rocker, but it made for a great set, really geeing up the crowd.

A bit disappointed that I had missed the whole set, but consoled by the fact that I had seen Jamie N so really it doesn’t matter, I left Horatio’s and back down the pier and into the town. I had hoped to see Django Django, but as I got near to the venue, The Pavilion Theatre, I saw the queue here too was down the street. I was advised that the queue was longer than the capacity of the venue already, so I made my way to the corn exchange, which I knew was massive and had no chance of filling out. I didn’t even look to see who was playing, I just walked straight there, joined the queue which was short and was in. Who was it that I had walked into? By this time they had already started playing, I’m sure I recognise this song who is it? I looked at the programme and low and behold, it was the Mystery Jets. Now I’m not the biggest Mystery Jets fan, but I know the hits which have been on the radio a lot and the other songs I decided to sing along anyway. Once they sung the chorus to any song once, I could sing it back the next time. By this point I had been drinking quite a lot, and didn’t really care too much, so I barged my way right to the front and from then on I had a whale of a time. A full hour long set then followed, which was just really good fun.

After the Mystery Jets final song I looked to see if there was much else on. There were a few DJ sets and things which didn’t really appeal to me, so I went back to the hostel I was staying at. When I got there I found I wasn’t tired so I sat at the bar with a bottle of cider. One thing lead to another from then on as other people came back from their own Great Escape adventures. Story’s were told, drinks were drank, games were played and arguments were fought. In the end I went to bed at around four in the morning, long after the bar had closed, because I was having a heated discussion about the question “John Peel or Zane Lowe: who is the better DJ?” Peel hands down.